Rare Bird Review List

The species in the review list always require documentation, reviewed by the seven member Records Committee, to archive the details of birds rare in Iowa.  This list is subject to change annually as we learn more about distribution and as records ebb and flow.  Check back after the Records Committee annual meeting, usually in October, to see those changes.

The following species, although meeting criteria to be regular in the state, should be documented when they are observed away from known locations:

  • Bewick's Wren - Argyle junkyard, Lee County

DEFINITIONS
Casual - recorded in 3-8 of the last 10 years.
Accidental - recorded in 0-3 of the last 10 years.
Extirpated - formerly recorded; no wild birds recorded in the state in recent years.

Documenting Regularly Occurring Species Seen at Unusual Times

PDFThe Early-Late Dates are updated four times each year after each seasonal report has been published. This list is intended to give birders a guideline for providing details and perhaps documenting birds observed outside of the know time frames. These docs are reviewed by seasonal editors to substantiate changing patterns. Print a copy for your car.

Any species new to the state is automatically on the review list. The species name in this list is a link to the records that have been entered into the database.

Fulvous Whistling-Duck
Accidental
Taiga Bean Goose
Accidental
Tundra Bean-Goose
Accidental
Garganey
Accidental
Eurasian Wigeon
Accidental
Mottled Duck
Casual
King Eider
Accidental
Common Eider
Accidental
Barrow's Goldeneye
Accidental
Greater Prairie-Chicken
Accidental
Clark's Grebe
Accidental
Inca Dove
Accidental
Common Ground Dove
Accidental
Groove-billed Ani
Accidental
Mexican Violetear
Accidental
Anna's Hummingbird
Accidental
Rufous Hummingbird
Casual
Broad-billed Hummingbird
Accidental
Purple Gallinule
Accidental
Limpkin
Accidental
Whooping Crane
Accidental
Long-billed Curlew
Accidental
Bar-tailed Godwit
Accidental
Red Knot
Casual
Ruff
Casual
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Accidental
Curlew Sandpiper
Accidental
Pomarine Jaeger
Accidental
Parasitic Jaeger
Casual
Long-tailed Jaeger
Accidental
Thick-billed Murre
Accidental
Long-billed Murrelet
Accidental
Ancient Murrelet
Accidental
Ivory Gull
Accidental
Black-headed Gull
Accidental
Little Gull
Casual
Ross's Gull
Accidental
Black-tailed Gull
Accidental
Heermann's Gull
Accidental
Short-billed Gull
Accidental
Slaty-backed Gull
Accidental
Glaucous-winged Gull
Accidental
Arctic Tern
Accidental
Royal Tern
Accidental
Yellow-billed Loon
Accidental
Wood Stork
Accidental
Magnificent Frigatebird
Accidental
Brown Booby
Accidental
Anhinga
Accidental
Tricolored Heron
Accidental
Reddish Egret
Accidental
White Ibis
Accidental
Roseate Spoonbill
Casual
White-tailed Kite
Accidental
Northern Hawk Owl
Accidental
Great Gray Owl
Accidental
Boreal Owl
Accidental
Lewis's Woodpecker
Accidental
Acorn Woodpecker
Accidental
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Accidental
Black-backed Woodpecker
Accidental
Crested Caracara
Accidental
Fork-tailed Flycatcher
Accidental
Western Wood-Pewee
Accidental
"Western" Flycatcher
Accidental
Vermilion Flycatcher
Accidental
Canada Jay
Accidental
Pinyon Jay
Accidental
Clark's Nutcracker
Accidental
Common Raven
Accidental
Boreal Chickadee
Accidental
Violet-green Swallow
Accidental
Cave Swallow
Accidental
Pygmy Nuthatch
Accidental
Pacific Wren
Accidental
Curve-billed Thrasher
Accidental
Sage Thrasher
Accidental
Sprague's Pipit
Casual
Brambling
Accidental
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch
Accidental
Hoary Redpoll
Casual
Lesser Goldfinch
Accidental
Chestnut-collared Longspur
Accidental
Black-throated Sparrow
Accidental
Lark Bunting
Accidental
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Accidental
Baird's Sparrow
Accidental
Green-tailed Towhee
Accidental
Hooded Oriole
Accidental
Bullock's Oriole
Casual
Scott's Oriole
Accidental
Swainson's Warbler
Accidental
MacGillivray's Warbler
Accidental
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Accidental
Townsend's Warbler
Accidental
Black-headed Grosbeak
Casual